Time for SA Rugby to look at change anew
RUGBY COMMENT Vata Ngobeni THE awarding of the 2023 Rugby World Cup was hard to swallow, but the reality is that the loss of the event surely should give SA Rugby an opportunity to look at itself in the mirror and begin the process of making the game more accessible to the millions of South Africans who love it but are constantly shunned.
Obviously, South Africa had a top-quality bid in terms of infrastructure, projected profit and ticket sales, and tourism, but the country did not garner enough support from around the world and did not convince the rest of the rugby world that it was Africa’s time again.
For far too long rugby has been a divisive sport in this country and even after the euphoria and short-lived nation-building spirit of the 1995 World Cup, rugby has dismally failed to capture and exploit the majority because of its refusal to change and do the right thing. If there ever was a time for that it would be now so that all of its structures are fully representative of the people of the country.
In all honesty I don’t think much has changed in the sport after 1995 and even though there have been two black coaches in Peter de Villiers and Allister Coetzee, they, along with black players, are the exception instead of the norm.
Twenty-two years after that memorable World Cup, we are still talking transformation even after the countless success stories of black rugby players who have played for the Springboks and at Super Rugby, Currie Cup and junior international level.
We are still counting the number of black players in the Springbok team and always looking to justify their place and worthiness for the team.
We are still in shock at the lack of black players in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup and the same excuse of “it needs to start at grassroots level” is given for the thousands of black players that are not given an opportunity to progress beyond age-group provincial rugby.
And even after the Springbok Sevens team have debunked the myth of there not being enough good black players, many within the rugby landscape still have the temerity to call black players “quota selections” – not simply, rugby players.
One still is shocked beyond words to see that there are still no black head coaches and assistant coaches amongst the Super Rugby franchises and Currie Cup premier division sides.
If there are any black coaches coming up the ranks, there is seemingly a concerted effort from the bosses at the unions not to elevate them above certain levels.
The same applies to refereeing.
In the disappointment and pain of losing the World Cup, let SA Rugby and the government make sure that something good comes out of this and that we make rugby a game for all our people.